Bellator CEO Bjorn Rebney has reportedly confirmed that Lightweight Champion Eddie Alvarez will meet Pat Curran at Bellator 39 on April 2nd.
Curran (13-3) earned a shot at the title after defeating Mike Ricci, Roger Huerta, and Toby Imada en-route to winning the promotion's season two Lightweight Tournament, but was forced to withdraw in October after suffering a shoulder injury during training. Instead, Alvarez went on to face Huerta in a non-title match, who he defeated via TKO due to doctor stoppage.
Alvarez (21-2) is 5-0 with Bellator and became the promotion's first ever Lightweight Champion after submitting Toby Imada in the season one tournament final.
Bellator 39 is set for April 2nd and will air live on MTV2. No official venue has been selected at this time.
In related news, Welterweight Champion Ben Askren is set to make his return in a non-title bout against veteran Nick Thompson at Bellator 40.
A 2008 Olympian and two-time Division I Champion, Askren (7-0) defeated Ryan Thomas twice, and Dan Hornbuckle in the final, to become the season two tournament winner before dethroning Lyman Good in October to capture the Welterweight title. In his first bout since, he will face, perhaps, the toughest test of his short professional career.
Thompson (38-13-1) will look to get back on track when he faces Askren in his Bellator debut, as the former UFC veteran has lost his last three consecutive match-ups. However, prior those losses the "Goat" had put together a 22-2 run over the course of four years, losing to only Jake Shields and Karo Parisyan. With nearly 50 more fights than the young Welterweight champ, experience could play a factor in the bout.
Bellator 40 airs live on MTV2 April 9th from the First Council Casino in Newkirk, Oklahoma
Source: MMAFighting.com | Photo: MMAWeekly.com
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